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HE.^IEGEOFTKE 
OLTJENClty 

SyCHARUSAKEELER 




THE SIEGE OE THE GOLDEN 
CITY. 

AN ALLEGORY OF THE TIMES 

BY .» 

f J ■'' 

CHARLES AUGUSTUS KEELER, 



Author of **A Light Through The Storffl," "The 
promise of the Ages," Etc. 



PRICE, by mail, - - - 25 CENTS. 



ALTRURIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY, ALTRURIA, CALIF. 






fi ^ '^ 



/- 

'f 






Copyright, 1896, 

BY 

Charles Augustus Keeler. O- c c. 






* * * but joy i?i nothing that separates you, as by 
any stra^ige favor, from your fellow-creatures^ 
that exalts you through their degradation — ex- 
empts you from their toil — or indulges you in 
time of their distress'' — John Ruskin. 



INTRODUCTION. 

The world is to-day in the midst of one of 
the most significant changes in the history of 
social progress — the emancipation of the in- 
dustrial classes from the thraldom of wealth 
and the domineering control of capital. The 
signs of the times are apparent to the most 
casual observer, in the consolidation of capi- 
tal and the banding together of the forces of 
labor. The present is not merely an age of 
steam and electricity, but also an age of 
strikes and boycotts. 

In this massing of the powers of wealth 
and the powers of industry there is both a 
menace and a hope — a menace in that the 
oligarchy of gold must necessarily, in the 
present order of society, gain a supremacy, 
not by virtue of its wisdom or its right, but 
by virtue of its power; and a hope in that 
the supremacy of wealth will make men suf- 
fer, and think. 



The salvation of the American people must 
lie in the abandonmen t of all selfish ideals of 
society, and in the devoted attempt of its peo- 
ple to replace these with ideal? of universal 
good. When the poor man^ no longer looks 
upon the rich man as his natural enemy, and 
upon his possessions as a legitimate plunder- 
ing ground ; and when the rich man no longer 
looks upon the poor man as his servant, 
but rather as his helpmate and friend, for 
whose sake he would, if it seemed necessary, 
give up his all — then we may indeed feel 
that the regeneration of man is more than an 
idle dream. 

In the following allegory I have attempted 
to present some of the questions which are in 
the minds and hearts of us all to-day, and to 
indicate the direction in which we must seek 
for their solution. In the appeal to love in the 
concluding pages I would not be understood 
as advocating any form of emotional senti- 
mentality, but rather that rational love which 
finds its fulfillment in completed intelligence. 

C. A. K. 

Berkeley, September, 1896. 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY. 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY. 

BOOK I. 

Men of the hammer and saw, of the spade 

and the pick, 
Weavers of fabrics, and masons of stone and 

of brick, 
Wielders of scythes in the hayfields, and 

threshers of grain, 
Clothing and feeding a nation with toil and 

with pain, — 
Humblest and holiest taskmen, arise to your 

call, 
Freedom awaits your decision to triumph or 

fall ! 
From the coal mines your voices are floating, 

from prairies of corn. 
From the plains where the cattle are roving, 

from desert forlorn, 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

From the murk and the grime of the cities, 
from factories dim, 

Where strong arms grow weary from slaving, 
and faces are grim, — 

Your voices are mingled in anger — love's mild- 
ness has fled — 

O Christ, is thy message forgotten, thy mem- 
ory dead? 

Is the rich man a foe and a tyrant to'trammel 
the poor ? 

Is the wise man a merciless monarch to 
strangle the boor ? 

Are all men infused with the venom of self- 
ish desire ? 

Then ruin and death shall assail them, and 
deepening ire 

Shall rankle in breasts that are dauntless, 
while maddening pain 

Is flouting the millions who scramble for plun- 
der and gain. 



ID 



THE SIEGE OF THE (i OLDEN CIT\ 

O brothers, I tell you that hatred can never 

be right ! 
Fools ! niadnieu ! to dream that the truth can 

be settled by might ! 
Away with the lust and the greed that is 

sundering men ! 
Away with the castes that have grown round 

the plow and the pen ! 
Away with the pitiless factions of muscle and 

brain ! 
Away with the gamble of gold for our har- 
vests of grain ! 
Men learn life's stern lesson by sorrow, and 

pain's sure decree 
Comes weighted with woe and despair, when 

we waken to see 
The ruin by hatred engendered, by avarice 

wrought : 
The wisdom we buy with our blood, is it not 

dearly bought ? 



II 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOI.DKN CITY 

A Strange, disordered fancj' siezcs me — 
A vision of unrest and fierce dismay — 
A nightmare, dreary, passionate, and wild ; 
For in the air strange sounds arise and fall, 
And tones of menace swell from faraway, 
Bruited abroad on night's unwilling air. 
There is the muffled tread of marching le- 
gions heard ; 
The sullen boom of cannon souuds afar ; 
Snare-drums innumerable mark stirring time ; 
The multitudinous clatter of horses' feet, 
The clank of arms, commands, loud uttered, 

rise, — 
And all this seems portentous, bodin^^: death. 
Then, as the morning breaks, I see a city fair. 
En wrought of marble and of gold, 
Its spires all gllst'ning 'mid the heavenly blue. 
It is a city built of palaces, 
Each statelier than its fellow, and more fair — 
Each broidered o'er with costliest ornament, 
In blazonry and splendor shining bright. 



12 



THK SIECK OF THE GOI/DKN CITV 

It is a city of rare pleasantness, 

With shadowy groves, and fountains ilowing 

clear, 
With music wafted from unnumbered bowers, 
With swe^p of lawn, and incense of sweet 

flowers. 
What is this golden city of delight. 
And what these sounds of war's stern em- 

pery ? 
What splendor, what dismay, are gathered 

here, 
What diverse passions here disperse their 

might ? 
Lo, in/the tumult of my dream, I see, 
Crouched by the golden walls, a hungrj^ 

throng : 
Some with pale faces, and waa, haggard 

cheeks, 
vSome with the flush of fever or of shame, 
Eyes fiercely glaring, fists in anger clenched. 



13 



THK sih(;e of thk (^oldivx city 

And lips that cr\^ for bread, for bread, for 

bread ! 
A joyless iiuiltitude, oppressed, is here, — 
Men hard of limb that cannot earn their bread. 
Strong toilers clamoring for a living wage, 
Clothed in the tattered weeds (;f poverty. 
It is a shame that this should be ! 
O God, look down and see 
Thy children in their misery and sin, 
With war's wild din, 
Mutt'ring on th' horizon, sullenly ; 
And men with bread to win. 
Cursing mankind and damning destiny ; 
While in the golden city hearts are gay. 
As thus they sing their lightsome cares away ; 

Life to thewinner, 
Seraph or sinner ! 
Barter and steal. 

While fortune' s ivheel 

We turn, turn, ttirn ! 



14 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

Death to the laggard, 
Harrowed and haggard ! 
Cast him away, 
Tho^ hearts in dismay 
May bur7i, burn, burn ! 

Maidens of comely shape, and fair of face, 
In garments of exceeding beauty dressed, 
Sing thus their mocking threnody, in glee : 
And many a merry bout and revelry 
Is here to while away the pleasant hours 
That reck not of the fate that o'er them low- 
ers. 
Throned 'mid the sumptuous splendor of his 

court, 
Sits the crowned king, with regal port, 
While vassals numberless before him bow, — 
Vain sycophants, with facile vow 
To win a sovereign's smile. 
And their own hearts defile. 
Hail Mammon, king of the City of Gold, 
May thy joys be numbered a thousand fold ! 



'15 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

And hail Queen Lust, 

To thy rule we trust ! — 

Thus say the serfs of the sovereign bold. 

While in my dream I gazed upon the king, 
Swelled the wild tumult of the fray more 

near — 
The tramp of armies hurrying, 
The brazen bugle's martial ring — 
When lo ! King Mammon's face grew pale 

with fear ! 
"What means this tumult in my peaceful state? 
What foe comes clamoring at the city's gate ? 
How dare they flout me thus? " the monarch 

cried, 
When answered him a vassal at his side : 
" 'Tis only the poor who are shrieking for 

bread, 
I would that the beggars were safely dead ;" 
And the great King Mammon serenely said, 
" To-morrow they will be dead." 



i6 






THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITV 

Who builded your city, King Mammon, bold — 
Who quarried its marble and mined its gold — 
Who reared its columns and piled its stones ? 
Great God, it is wrought of blood and of 

bones ! 
And the dead stand stark — caryatids to hold 
The stones piled upon them so massive and 

cold, — 
All coated and burnished with ghttering gold. 

Who toils in your corn-fields. King Mammon' 

brave, 
Reaping your grain for the price of a grave,— 
Reaping your grain while his children wail, 
For theirs is the chaff from the threshing flail ? 
'Tis the poor that have served you this many 

a day, 
The poor you are casting in scorn away, 
Mammon, the king of the City of Gold ! 

Now sounds more near the din of war, 

■ 17 



THE vSlEGK OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

Deeper and fiercer the cannon roar, 
And soldiers march in ranks of four, — 
Bayonets glinting and sabres flashing, 
Officers shouting and horsemen dashing. 
Bugles calling in strains appalling, 
A surging tumult, rising and falling. 
Meanwhile without the city's gate 
The haggard rabble await their fate; 
And their murmuring voices grow louder and 

louder 
As they catch the scent of the burning pow- 
der. 
^A waving of brawny fists in the air, 
A curse of defiance, a yell of despair. 
And the gates swing wide, for an army is there 
Bearing the banner of Mammon the Great ! 
Volley on volley they pour on the throng, 
Death shrieks its wildest, most pitiless song. 
And the plain is red wnth the blood of the 

dead, — 
Life art thou holy ? is murder a wrong ? 



i8 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

Out of the stricken multitude a giant form 

uprose, — 
A wild disheveled creature, fierce and strong. 
With forehead pale and eyes that darted fire ; 
His hand upheld a torch of lurid flame, 
While loud and shrill his slogan shook the 

air, 
''' Bread ! bread and liberty ! " 
Thus rang the battle cry of Anarchy. 
There was a wave of crimson banners then, 
A wild advance, a mowing down of men, 
The crash of arms, the cannon's awful boom, 
A mighty host that sank to sudden doom. 
O, Anarchy, they quenchless torch is lit ! 
In vain an army seeks to stifle it ; 
Thy voice alone the multitude can sway. 
All questionless, thy fierce commands obey. 
Pillage and plunder and dark deeds of wrong. 
Death to the weak and triumph to the strong — 
Thus is thy rule a mockery of right, 
And life is his who wins the bitter fight. 



19 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

The great gates closed with an ominous clang 
As the army withdrew, and the bugles rang 
On the air of night that was hushed in fright, 
While the dead strewed the plain in its awful 

blight. 
King Mammon, enthroned in his hall of state, 
Learned of the slaughter before his gate ; 
" 'Twill teach them a lesson," was all he said. 
Ah yes, a lesson the very dead 
Shall con as they lie in theircold earth bed, — 
A lesson the living shall bear in their breasts 
Till it rankles each heart that its poison in- 
fests ! 
For there, in the still night air on the plain, 
Mothers are calling the names of the slain. 
Wives are beseeching the slaughtered in vain; 
Children are crying and strong men dying, 
And all are the might of King Mammon defy- 
ing. 

Among the dead that night weird figures 
moved, — 



20 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOI.DEN CITY 

Ghouls seeking plunder, men in quest of sons, 
And trains funereal with torch and wail. 
A silent woman glided through the dark, 
Close followed by her boy ; and now they 

pause 
Beside some prOvStrate form, and then pass on, 
Searching for him who came not home that 

day. 
Just as they homeward turned, despairingly, 
Their torch flashed full upon the form of him 
They loved so well. A quick unbidden cry 
Fell from the woman's lips. The man half rose 
And feebly smiled. *' 'Tis father," Arhan said, 
And o'er the dying man wept wife and son. 
The man, a carpenter in happier days. 
Took the boy's hand in his, and fondly said, 
" Arhan, my work is done, but yours to night 
Commences. Tell me, dost thou love me, 

boy?" 
" Aye, father, need'st thou ask that question 

now ?" 



21 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

" Then, as thou lovest me, I bid thee swear, 
Even before thy God, my death t' avenge. 
Uncover now thy head and lift thy hand, 
And let my dying breath thy oath attest." 
The child's frail hand was raised, "In God's 

true sight 
I swear thy death shall be avenged by me ! " 
" Amen," the mother said, and, weeping, 

bowed 
Her head upon her dying Iiusband's breast. 



22 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 



BOOK II. 

Year followed year with unconsoling pain, 
The plow lay rusting in the weed -grown 

plain, 
The silent mills no longer ground their flour, 
And steam forgot its unexhausted power. 
The tanner left his vats to choke wnth slime, 
The mason stirred no more his seething lime. 
The forge was cold, its glowing embers dead, 
And e'en the baker kneaded not his bread. 
Abroad stalked Famine on his ruthless way. 
Men cursed their fate, and women forgot to 

pray. 
Still round the golden city's walls they cried, 
And at its base the weary sank and died; 
Still Anarchy controlled men's hopeless deeds, 
And in each breast sowed dissolution's seeds. 



23 



"The sikge of the goi^den city 

In midst of such fierce discord Arhan's youth 
Was purged of every joy, for utter ruth 
^alked in stark madness through the withered 

land, 
And flames of phrensy into life were fanned. 
Upon his lips that solemn oath still burned; 
His tender heart for man's deep sorrow 

yearned ; 
His mind was burdened with his people's 

wrong; 
His spirit grew, through sorrow's schooling, 

strong. 
Men sought his counsel in their sore distress, 
He won their love and faith by tenderness ; 
Then did they bid him mind his oath, and be 
Their tyrant's stern destroyer. Liberty 
And Justice summoned him with stirring calL 
" Arise ! arise ! in battle venture all ! " 

" Arhan, with thy dark eyes compassionate, 
Arhan, with thy grave face and gentle way, 



24 



THE SIEG-C OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

Who biddeth tliee to slaughter thy blood 

brothers, 
For are not all men brothers unto thee ? 
Who biddeth thee to lay rude hands upon 
God's wonderwork, for thou canst take away 
But not restore life's passing mystery ! " 
Thus spake one night a voice in Arhan's ear, 
And Arhan answered it and said, " 'Tis well, 
Not with war's implements must right prevail, 
With love and reason man shall be re- 
deemed." 
He went among the people preaching love, 
Beseeching mildness, urging reason's right, 
But jeers and fierce upbraidings greeted him. 
Talk to a starving man of love for one 
Who snatched his bread in wantonness away ! 
Talk to a slave of mildness, when the lash 
Still stings across his back ! Nay, nay, 'tis 

vain ! 
They called him traitor, stoned him in their 
wrath. 



25 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOT.DEN CITY 

And left him sore of heart, infirm of mind. 

A sudden purpose came to him. He said : 

" I will go forth alone, 

Unto the Golden City will I go, 

My people to redeem. 

Alone, unfriended, in the realm of gold 

Shall I seek righteousness." 

When to his mother he declared his mind, 

She said, " Remember, Ahran, what thy lips 

Unto a dying father fondly vowed," 

And ArhanlDOwed his head and answered her, 

" Even unto death those words shall follow 

me." 
Then he departed with a sad farewell, 
Alone, his people's torment to avenge. 



26 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 



BOOK III. 

Golden City, Golden City is there joy within 
thy homes, 

Does the sun in gladness glitter on thy stately 
golden domes ? 

Is there rapture in thy heart-beats, is there 
lightness in thy song. 

When the world is overburdened with thy 
wantonness and wrong ? 

Ah I hear a voice that murmurs, "Life is but 
a burning lie," 

And with every silken rustle there escapes a 
stifled sigh ; 

With the jingling gold they palter as the jes- 
ter with his bells, 



27 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

Tlio' its clink is but a token of the pain it 

never tells. 
All thy splendor does but foster avarice and 

haughty pride, 
All thy luxury but serves the hidden bitter- 
ness to hide. 
There is poison in the plenty that has fed 

thee from its well, 
And its pangs shall rack thy spirit with its 

uncontrolled spell. 
No lightsomeness of heart found Arhan there, 
With all its glamour and its revelry, 
But only shows of joy to mask its pain ; 
For happiness was garbled so by greed 
That sweet content was ever on the wing, 
And in their plethora were all men poor. 

" Alas, my people are avenged e'en now," 
Thought Arhan, gazing on the glut of gold. 
"All is transmuted by their Midas spell, 
Till they too cry for bread and find it not. 



28 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

Thus is iniquity returned on them 
Who first its pow'r invoked to serve their 
greed ! " 

There was a fountain in the city's heart, 
Spouting its silver spray unceasingly, 
Cinctured with waving trees and winding ways 
That threaded bow'rs and groves Arcadian. 
Here Arhan stood, and spake to all who 

came, — 
Idlers who knew not how to waste their day 
Women and men in costly raiment clad ; 
Masters and servants staid to hear his words. 
For in his heart there burned a people's 

wrong, 
And on his lips that wrong found utterance. 
He preached unto them, saying, 
" He of old declared to men : 
' I^ay not up treasures for yourself on earth. 
Where moth and rust corrupt and thieves 

break through and steal, 



29 



THE SIEGE OF THB GOLDEN CITY 

But lay up treasures for yourself in heaven, 
Where moth nor rust corrupt, nor thieves 

may steal.' 
And have ye heard his voice and scorned 

him so? 
I say to you, my brothers, verily, 
Thy gold can nowise profit thee on earth ; 
It buys but sorrow and it breeds but pain. 
Thou canst not make the bird pour forth his 

song 
For golden guerdon, canst not deck the skies 
Of eve with royal purple and with flame, 
Tho' Pluto pour his coffers in the sea, 
And offer prayers to Jove from morn to night, 
Thou canst not barter wnth swift-speeding 

time, 
Nor with thy boundless gold stay age's blight; 
Thou canst not buy the dead to life again ; 
Thou canst not rob the grave of bitterness. 
But love can bid the bird pour forth his song, 
And light can kiss the clouds until they burn 



30 



TflE SIEGE OF THE (iOT.DEN CITY 

In radiant splendor 'mid the evening sky ; 
And wisdom can transcend the sweep of time, 
Folding all ages in its ample span. 
Beholding life's new dwelling place in death, 
And in the grave a making o'er of clay." 

When Arhan paused a man vouchsafed reply: 
" No man may know the secrets of the grave, 
But all behold the magic wrought by gold — 
Commerce and argosies and stately homes, 
Trails speeding o'er the land, and miglity 

toil 
Of engines laboring in man's behest. 
All luxury and power are bought with gold. 
And thus the world upgrows and business 

thrives." 
Then Arhan answer'd him : "A desert land 
In some sequestered nook may hold a well 
Where palms grow tall and stately, tho' the 

wa.ste 
Of boundless barrenness is fraught with dread. 



31 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEX CITY 

Think you, is this a goodly place to dwell, 
Or would you not go rather to some land 
Where verdure stretches its unending green, 
With clear streams winding through its 
cooling shade ? 

men of little vision, see, thy gold 
Has grown thee an oasis midst a plain 
Of utter barrenness and cruel want ; 
And like the lazj^ Arab in his grove 
Vou loiter here, tho' life's long caravan 
Toils painfully o'er burning sands of time ! 

1 tell thee, verily, no joy is thine 

\\^hile want howls round thee unconsolable ! 
Thou art beset with wolves thy greed has 

bred, 
And, O, beware the day they feed on thee ! 
There is no rest for man while one lone soul 
Is w^eary with life's burden ; as the sun 
Shines on all upturned faces equally, 
So shall salvation shine alike for men ! " 
Then voices in the multitude uprose. 



32 



THK SIKGF? OF THE COLDEN CITY 

With cries of " ranter ! traitor ! anarchist ! " 
Till some one shouted, " Hold, we'll hear him 

out ! " 
Then said to Arhan, "Stranger, you declare 
That all life's evils flow from wealth of gold ; 
Now tell us how, sans gold, the w^orld would 

thrive." 
And Arhan answered, "All the ills of men 
Flow from their lustful hearts and sordid 

minds, 
And wealth is but an instrument of wrong. 
When man can stand before his brother man 
And say, ' I never took thy share of life from 

thee, 
I never rose by treading thee to earth, — 
When thus the merchant can in truth de- 
clare 
Unto his brother working in the fields, 
When thus the lady decked in silk and gems 
Can say unto her sister, faint with toil. 
Who sews and scrubs to earn a crust of bread, 



TilK SIKGK OF THK (ioi.DEN CITY 

Tli2n shall lown that wealth is good for man." 
A voice replied from out the multitude : 
"You tamper, thus, with nature's foremost 

law, 
h'or competition spurs us to our best, — 
Through struggle all life's forms have won 

their place. 
And still the fittest in life's race survive." 
Arlian replied, "A deeper law controls 
This world of ours, for at the heart of things 
Is love and reason, dominating all, 
And life forever treasures but the best. 
Does the swift deer in life's hot race survive ? 
Then swiftness is its virtue and its right. 
Does the fierce tiger life's stern battle win ? 
Then strengtli and courage meet their due re- 
ward. 
Does the wise man o'er brutal might prevail ? 
Then wis lom stands approved by destiny. 
But wisdom's insight, moral duty shows, 
And man can win alone by noble deeds. 



34 



*rHK SIEGE OE THE GOLDEN CITY 

Compete in righteousness, and nature's law 
Shall be fulfilled. All else is false and vain !" 
A surging multitude had gather'd round 
The fountain while he talked thus earnestly , 
And many hostile faces looked at him. 
"He preaches insurrection," one exclaimed. 
Another, " He would overthrow the law ; " 
While only one face looked compassionate. 
Mizpah, a slender girl, beheld him there 
Pleading for man oppressed, and worshiped 

him. 
She understood not all, but felt his pow'r. 
And in his sore need loved him utterly. 
The tumult grew more loud as angry men 
Jeered Arhan, calmly standing 'midst the 

crowd. 
Then stones were hurled that felled him, 

bruised and stunned, 
And Mizpah uttered a sharp wail of pa^*' 
She hastened to his side and tende^^ 
Dipping cool water from the fo- 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

To bathe his pallid brow and moist his lips ; 

And in his swoon a vision came to him 

Of what should come to pass in days unborn. 

Ah blessed, she who tendeth him, despised, 

For she shall minister to all mankind, 

And with her love shall heal this bruised 

world. 
Who careth for the humblest shall be great 
In that fair city of immortal jo3^ 
He wakened from his trance, beholding her, 
And said, " Sweet angel, thou shalt be a sign 
To all mankind, of peace, good will and love. 
Go forth and bear the message taught of old, ^ 
That all may share the light that shines from 

thee." 
Then, in a lower tone, he calmly said, 
" I greet thee. Father, unashamed, to-day, 
For thus have I fulfilled my vow to thee." 
These were his parting words, for he was dead. 

The crowd dispersed, and Mizpah wept alone, 

36 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOI.DEN CITY 

When, from on high, a golden shower fell 
Upon her, thrilling her with strength and 

light. 
Thus Arhan's spirit came to greet the girl 
And bid her rise and bear his word afar. 
It came to pass that Mizpah rose 
And went forth from the Golden City's bounds, 
Where thronged the heavy-hearted host of 

poor. 
Then in my vision was a marvel wrought, 
For lo, the maid, transfigured, walked the 

earth 
Even as an angel clad in shining robes, 
And men wept tears of joy to see her come. 
She took the cripple by the hand, 
Andt)ade him, nsupported, stand; 
She raised the pale child from his bed. 
And bade him follow where she led ; 
She called the robber from his spoil. 
And bade him, for his brothers, toil. 
Her march of triumph swept the plain. 



37 



THE SIEGK OF THE GOLDEN CITV 

All followed in her ardent train, — 

And silver horns rang out their jubilee, 

While Love sang loud, *'0 follow, follow me," 

From out the skies fell words exultingly, 

And from the heaving tumult of the sea 

Voices arose in joyous melody ; 

For, clad in heaven's blest planoply, 

Came Love to set men free 

From shame and tyranny, — 

Came love to lead all men to harmony, 

With those glad words, " O follow, follow 

me!" 
Weaver and baker and farmer and sailor,-—^ 
Carpenter, painter, mechanic and tailor, — 
Plumber and tinner and tinker and tanner 
Marched through the land with fraternity's 

banner. 
They marched round the walls of the City of 

Gold, 
And they sang as they marched, and their 

voices uproUed 



38 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

To the sentinels, startled to hear their song — 
Startled to see them thus marching along. 
Thrice marched they the city beleaguer'd"^ 

around, 
Till heaven was shaken, so loud was the sound 
Of their song as it swelled through the radi- 
ant sky, 
Bursting in pseans of triumph on high : 

Hail to the o-lory and greatness of man, 
Hail to the promise and pome/r of love ! 
God in His mage sty ruleth His children, 
And leadeth them on to His -infinite home ! 

Liberty shines frofn the' heavens upon us, 
Law bids us list to its voice and obey ; 
God iri His magesty ruleth His children, 
And leadeth them on to His infinite home ! 

Heaven is his who has made it and won it. 
Love is the sescLme openiiig its gates ; 
God in His magesty ruleth His childreii. 
And leadeth the7n on to His infinite home ! 



39 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

Shoulder to shoulder we march without sway, 
Bearing the burdens that heaven ordains ; 
God in His magesty ruleth His children 
And leadeth them on to His infinite home ! 

Each with a cross of a brother to carry, 
Each with a burden of sin and of shame ; 
God in His magesty ruleth His children. 
And leadeth them on to His infinite home ! 

Then the mighty walls quivered and tottered 

and fell, 
Enchanted by love's unresistible spell, 
And the army of peace on the city advanced^ 
The maiden about her triumphantly glanced, 
As she stepped o'er the ruin and entered the 

street, 
For the army of Mammon bowed down at her 

feet. 
On, on through the city the host in its might. 
Singing and shouting its song in delight, 
Swept unimpeded, and crowded the street. 



40 



THK SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

Forth came the people their brothers to greet— = 
Banker and merchant and writer and clerk, 
Idler with hands uncorrupted by work, — 
All joined the conquering army of love. 

Then mighty deeds were wrought through all 

the land, 
Muscle and brain combining for the task, 
And nowhere idleness found room to be. 
There were the low and sordid to be raised, 
To learn love's import and to do love's toil, — 
There were the proud and vain to be sub- 
dued, 
To learn humanity and neighbor love. 
The sound of hammer and of saw were heard 
In village and in town, for industr}^ 
Waged its unceasing toil among all men, 
And hearts grew lighter as their cares took 

wing. 
Mammon, alone, in sorrow pined away. 
For all his proud domain was torn from him, 



4t 



THE SIEGE OF THE GOLDEN CITY 

And all his empire dwindled into dust. 
Thus Arhan's toil attained fruition, meet, 
And thus love strove his conquest to com- 
plete. 
No more could factions breed in men their 

hate, 
No more could lustful greed predominate; 
For men had learned that each is served by 

all, 
That none can mount where one is left to fall. 
That none are rich while any still are poor, 
That all together must life's pain endure. 
O, man, how wonderful a work is thine ! 
For, in the wilderness, thou hast upreared 
A city throbbing with a love divine, — 
A city of great tenderness, endeared 
To all, because one pulse is beating there, 
One toil is straining ev'ry arm and hand, 
One thought of life is throbbing every w^here: — 
God spake to men and they did understand. 



42 












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